An advanced meter offers accurate and detailed measurement of electricity usage that can be read by the utility at its offices. Before long, customers will be able to monitor their personal usage either online or with a display in their home. The SVP MeterConnect advanced meters will in time be able to communicate with appliances in the home that are programmed by the owner to operate at maximum efficiency, thereby reducing energy usage and cost. The advanced meters will also allow SVP to immediately pinpoint power problems and outages, allowing faster response to trouble spots and confirmation when your power is restored.

Why?

Modern advanced meters are replacing the antiquated mechanical meters that not only use 100-year-old technology, but do not allow customers to easily monitor or control their energy usage. Advanced meters from reputable manufacturers have been proven to be accurate, and over 100 million of these meters have been successfully installed worldwide in the last five years. Experts predict that there will be one billion smart meters in operation by 2015. The new technology is being adopted so quickly that meter manufacturers are rapidly abandoning mechanical meter production in order to produce more modern advanced or smart meters.

Will it mean higher bills later?

Energy rates are increasing primarily due to factors unrelated to meters, such as the rising cost of energy and the expense of bringing it to Santa Clara. Electric advanced meters will allow customers to monitor and adjust their electricity usage, which has been shown to lower electric bills for most customers. SVP expects rates to remain lower than any other utility in California for the foreseeable future.

What happens if I think my meter is faulty or I think you're charging me too much?

SVP will immediately respond to customer questions about their new meters. Accuracy will be confirmed if necessary, and an SVP staff member will personally answer any questions that arise from customer concerns. SVP will be testing your old meter and your new meter for accuracy. If your old meter was running slow (most likely) we will notify you of the results.

Will the meters from SVP be the same as PG&E's meters?

No. SVP MeterConnect has chosen a different manufacturer, Elster Group, which has manufactured measuring devices for over 170 years and already provided millions of advanced meters to North American and overseas utilities. SVP and the manufacturer have a multi-level testing procedure to assure that the advanced meters installed in Santa Clara are accurate and reliable. One big difference between SVP's advanced meters and those used by PG&E is that the SVP meters will emit 75 percent less electromagnetic radiation (EMF) than the PG&E meters.

What is different about SVP's meter program (SVP MeterConnect) compared to other cities?

Since 2007, SVP has been testing the communications technology that connects meters and their readings to the utility and to the customer. The advanced smart meter technology that will be used by SVP has been successfully implemented at over 3.5 million businesses and homes worldwide.

What do SVP customers think about advanced meters?

An independent survey of Silicon Valley Power customers found that more than two-thirds of SVP customers (68 percent) consider advanced metering a good idea. SVP is working hard to address all customer concerns about advanced metering, and will inform customers of plans to install advanced meters well before meters are deployed.

How do advanced meters help our community?

Climate change is directly impacted by how much energy we use and the type of appliances we choose. An advanced meter is just one part of the “smart grid” which will give utilities more efficient control of how electricity is sourced, distributed and delivered. At the local level, advanced meters will provide customers with more options to save energy. Using less electricity overall reduces the amount of carbon dioxide and other pollutants released into the atmosphere—a benefit to everyone. Customers will have visibility into how energy is used from hour-to-hour and can adjust their usage to save electricity.

What is a “smart grid”?

The smart grid refers to the entire upgraded electrical system of the region, state or country. Advanced or “smart” meter technology is the foundation of the smart grid. The smart grid will help SVP better manage how energy is delivered to customers.

Is there radiation generated by the new advanced meters?

Concerns have led to decades of scientific research, which has found no evidence of a link between EMF exposure and human health at levels normally found in today’s households and workplaces. Nearly every electrical device in your home generates some EMF. A key feature of the advanced technology chosen by SVP MeterConnect is that the new meters use one-fourth or less of the transmitting power of other smart meters. SVP and its supplier monitor the meter safety data resulting from testing performed by independent and government agencies and fully comply with the adopted standards.

SVP shares customer concerns about radio frequency interference (RFI) that may affect common household electronic devices. Unlike the smart meters used by PG&E and many other utilities, the advanced meters to be used by SVP transmit information less frequently, at a lower power, and on fewer frequencies that conflict with household devices. Nevertheless, SVP is closely monitoring the RFI testing carried out by independent consumer and government entities. Because SVP is taking a careful, slow approach to the deployment of advanced meters in our community, it will learn from the mistakes and experiences of other utilities and work to avoid or remedy the problems experienced in other communities.

Is the whole City getting new meters?

Eventually, yes. But SVP is using a slow, careful, phased approach that at first will install a few hundred meters at a time at large commercial and industrial sites. This approach allows SVP to test and approve each phase before advanced meters are actually installed in a neighborhood.

I have a digital meter now. Is it an advanced meter?

No, SVP has not yet installed any residential advanced meters in Santa Clara. About 7,000 residences do have simple digital meters with radio transmitters, which allow meter readers to collect usage data once a month without entering private property. New advanced meters, which use a fraction of the power to transmit and receive, will replace all of the digital meters in the City.

Why do you say advanced meters will help me save money?

Numerous surveys and pilot programs show that people who can see their energy usage in a more immediate manner than a monthly bill become more aware of energy waste. Awareness leads consumers to change their habits to become more energy efficient and spend less on energy. For instance, if a customer sees that their energy usage remains high when their home is empty during the day, they may decide to turn off lights and lower their thermostat when out of the house.

Will SVP MeterConnect complicate my life?

No. On the contrary, SVP MeterConnect will eventually give you an opportunity to monitor your electricity usage and decide where you can save energy and money. In the future, “smart” appliances that are programmed by the owner to operate more efficiently will allow you to better control energy usage while maintaining or even improving the comfort of your home. These “smart appliances” will include air conditioners, refrigerators, pool pumps and more.

Will an advanced meter work with a home solar system?

Solar installations will not be affected by your advanced meter. The additional energy data supported by the new meters will help homes with solar see just how well their system is working.

Will an advanced meter work with my electric car charging station?

Yes. In fact, electric car “smart” charging stations for use at your home are rapidly becoming popular. The chargers may eventually work with your advanced meter to charge cars conveniently and efficiently while saving energy and minimizing costs.

Does SVP make a profit on advanced meters?

No. SVP operates as a not-for-profit city utility and steers all benefits back to customers. This is one reason why SVP's rates are 25 - 45 percent lower than the rates charged in neighboring communities.

So who pays for the meters?

There is no direct charge for this or other utility system upgrades. Meters, like other equipment upgrades made to the utility system, are already included in the capital expenses of the utility. Better management of how SVP supplies power and how customers consume power will lead to savings for all. SVP anticipates that, over time, the utility will save money to cover costs of the advanced meters.

How can SVP spend money installing new meters when the rest of the city is cutting programs and other expenses?

Capital expenditures are a continuous process at the electric utility in order to keep the equipment up to date and reliable. This project has been underway for several years as we laid the foundation for the new meters. In order to reap the benefits of these investments, SVP must complete the communications network and the meter installations. SVP funding is collected separately through bills for electricity usage, whereas many city programs must rely on taxes and other revenue sources. SVP rates are expected to remain the lowest in California.

Is it just for electricity?

Yes. Advanced meters from SVP only measure electricity.

What about water?

The technology investment being made for advanced electric meters has been carefully chosen in order to ensure that it will support remotely-read water meters as well. As the requirements and capital projects of the water utility allow, the City of Santa Clara may be installing new water meters. SVP will not be funding water meter replacements, as these would be the responsibility of the water utility. Like electricity, the more information on how water is used in homes or businesses gives customers the ability to achieve substantial savings.

What about gas?

PG&E is the natural gas supplier for Santa Clara residents, and PG&E is actively installing their SmartMeter™ technology on gas meters in Santa Clara. SVP is not responsible for gas meters in use within the City.

How do you know advanced meters are accurate?

In contrast to some other California utilities that bought meters from a new manufacturer, SVP is purchasing advanced meters from a company that has more than 170 years of experience in manufacturing measurement devices, and which has installed millions of advanced meters with no reported accuracy problems, and with very few customer complaints. Meters are tested at the factory and again when they arrive in Santa Clara.

Who will read my meter?

There will be no more electric meter readers stepping on residential property. Water meter readers and PG&E gas meter readers may still need to enter private property on a monthly basis. The SVP electric advanced meters are read remotely at the SVP offices. Customers eventually will also have access to their on-going energy usage either through a secure personal website or on a display meter in their home. In other words, you will be able to read your meter and understand how you use energy.

How can I read my meter?

You may have the option to register on a free secure web site to monitor your usage. You may also have an option to have a display installed in your home that will give you incremental readouts of your energy usage so you can see when you use the most or the least energy. Further information about these alternatives will be provided as these capabilities are readied.

How do the meters communicate with SVP?

Advanced meters of SVP MeterConnect will communicate with SVP offices using a secure Wi-Fi system in the City of Santa Clara. This Wi-Fi system is also improving communications within other city services. City residents will also have free outdoor Wi-Fi internet service from this system. Although the same equipment will be used, very different security strategies will be engaged for meter information.

What about my privacy?

Energy usage privacy is protected by law, just as your telephone usage privacy is protected by law. SVP is taking great care to implement a state-of-the-art, secure advanced meter communications facility. The level of security in the SVP MeterConnect network is similar to the level of security used in the banking industry and sensitive government agencies.

Who safeguards all my usage information?

SVP protects your privacy as it has for over one hundred years, and state law also protects your privacy. Customers must give written permission if they want their information shared with any third-parties.

Will advanced meters replace SVP employees?

Meter readers are being trained to occupy other positions within the City. Employees who train for other positions will not lose their jobs.

What is Time of Use?

Time of Use, or TOU, describes the different rates charged by some utilities for electricity at different times of the day. TOU is just one of the options supported by advanced meter technology. SVP will consider all options for improving service and efficiency for customers before implementing any changes to its rate structure. SVP's rate structure is simple and low-cost, with rates 25 - 45 percent lower than nearby utilities. The flexibility and reliability of modern advanced meter technology supports this simple approach, yet allows more options for our customers to better manage their utility expenses.